Xfce Forum

Virchanza

Member

Registered: 2009-02-07

Posts: 1

Drag+Drop results in copy

I'm running the latest version of Xubuntu.

On the desktop, if you drag and drop a file into a folder, it results in a copy. However I want it to result in a move.

Does anyone know how to change it from copy to move? (Please don't suggest that I hold down a certain key when dragging -- I want the default to be move). I've searched the web high and low but can't find an answer.

When I used Windows XP, a drag-and-drop would result in a move if the source and target were on the same drive, however it would result in a copy if they were on different drives. I quite liked this behaviour. Can it be replicated on Xfce?

shadow

Member

Registered: 2009-02-06

Posts: 7

Re: Drag+Drop results in copy

I love everything else about Xfce, but to be honest I don't think the Desktop is very well integrated with the file manager. I've actually stopped using it because it behaves so differently to Thunar. I think the Desktop in XP is almost an extension of Windows Explorer, where as Xfce's desktop still needs some polishing.

You might find it more useful using the Desktop to show the running applications instead (there's a setting). Personally I keep it blank and quickly open the desktop folder in Thunar whenever I want to access a download etc.

I wouldn't try to make everything like XP though, best to try to adapt   

herd

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2006-05-18

Posts: 143

Website

Re: Drag+Drop results in copy

Use modifiers:
Shift+Drag: Move
Ctrl+Drag: Copy
Ctr+Shift+Drag: Link
(Note how the mouse pointer changes)

This is true for both desktop and thunar, however each seems to default to its own liking. *)

hth,

herd

Edit:
*) seems to be fixed with 4.5.92.

user999

Member

Registered: 2012-09-13

Posts: 8

Re: Drag+Drop results in copy

Use modifiers:
Shift+Drag: Move
Ctrl+Drag: Copy
Ctr+Shift+Drag: Link
(Note how the mouse pointer changes)

This is true for both desktop and thunar, however each seems to default to its own liking. *)

hth,

herd

Edit:
*) seems to be fixed with 4.5.92.

I am using Debian wheezy.
I am getting "copy" behavior on drag and drop with desktop 4.8.3.
(Thunar 1.2.3 does "move" properly on drag and drop.)

Is this the expected behavior? It is inconvenient.

Last edited by user999 (2012-09-13 10:17:23)

---

Debian wheezy with Xfwm 4.8.3

fest3er

Member

Registered: 2013-04-14

Posts: 2

Re: Drag+Drop results in copy

Use modifiers:
Shift+Drag: Move
Ctrl+Drag: Copy
Ctr+Shift+Drag: Link
(Note how the mouse pointer changes)

This is true for both desktop and thunar, however each seems to default to its own liking. *)

hth,

herd

Edit:
*) seems to be fixed with 4.5.92.

I am using Debian wheezy.
I am getting "copy" behavior on drag and drop with desktop 4.8.3.
(Thunar 1.2.3 does "move" properly on drag and drop.)

Is this the expected behavior? It is inconvenient.

It is not very convenient and a bit frustrating when <SHIFT><DRAG>, <CTRL><DRAG> and/or <CTRL><SHIFT><DRAG> don't work as expected; note that I mean that <CTRL> and/or <SHIFT> are pressed before the mouse button is pressed to begin dragging. Trust me; it is inconsistent, but probably cannot be fixed because other bits of the system grab some of those combinations before Thunar.

Moving across filesystems traditionally did not work in UNIX/Linux. It is really a copy/delete procedure fraught with problems. One example: one or more files have been copied but cannot be deleted for some reason; this results in an incomplete move operation. Another: some of the files are owned by someone else; the move will fail if/when the user cannot chown() those files to the other user(s).

Here is consistent behavior that should be in the docs as accessed via Thunar's Help (<F1>). Basically, you modify the drag enroute.

1. Select one or more files/folders.

2. Begin left-dragging them.

3. While dragging to the destination/target, press <SHIFT> to always move them, press <CTRL> to always copy them, or press <CTRL><SHIFT> to create a symlink for each item dragged. Hold the modifier(s) down until after you release the mouse button.

Watch the mouse cursor; it changes appropriately to include an arrow (move), a plus sign (copy/add), or a two-link chain (link).

This is simple, consistent and clever behavior that has worked reliably for more than a few years. Granted, it may be inconsistent with other windowing systems, but they should be modified to work this way. It would also help to properly document the default DnD operations there as well.

N

Last edited by fest3er (2025-08-09 02:13:00)